Hose coupling



l'mventor HERBERT A MAIMAN Y Gtforneg H. A. MAIMAN HOSE COUPLING FiledAug. 5, 1950 Oct. 7, 1952 Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED, "fsfrA'iEjgsenrieirirV oFFics v *j* "1 fameuse l HosnooUPLING Herbert Maiman,Havertown, Pa." i Application Aagusts,195o;se1ia1N0177,383`

In various industries, compressedl air is employed extensively as asourceof energy for aotuating many types of hand tools, such Jas chip-Vpers, caulkers, drills, grinders, hammers, tampers, riveters, and thelike. Because these hand operated tools are portable, the conduitsorpipins through which the compressed air is fed thereto must beflexible. Forthisreason, it is customary to use rubber hose in suchcases. .'Ihefhose is usually furnished in sections of various lengths,the sections being coupled together by means of fittings or couplings ofvarious sorts attached to the hose ends. s C l u Among the various typesof hose couplings presently in use is the type represented bythe Bowespatent, 1,093,528. This type of coupling comprises a pair of plug andsocket members arranged to be pushed together and turned about 90 forinterlocking engagement. To maintain these members in interlockedrelation, there is provided on the plug member a spring pressed lockingsleeve formed with extensions which arel received in recesses in theadjacent end of the socket member. This locking sleeve normally`prevents `the plug and socket members from rotating relative to eachother into separable relation. l 1

In practice, it has been oundthat the locking sleeve is not alwayseffective tos'prevent the plug and socket members from rotating andseparating, either due to carelessness ofthe operator or the manner inwhich the tool vto which the line is attached is used. The average,commercial, compressed air line carries a pressure of about 90 poundsper square inch. At this pressure, arraccidentally disconnected couplingcan bea dangerous missile, since a hose line propelledbyuescaping airunder pressure whips `around with the coupling on the .end as a.weighted object; Depending upon circumstances, a whipping .hose lineand coupling striking `a person can cause serious injury, if not evendeath. l, l

The principal object of my invention is'to -provide an improved hosecoupling which will be entirely free from the aforementioned diiliculty.

More particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide animproved hosecoupling @the becoming disconnected accidentally. l y lAnother object of my invention vis to provide an improved hose couplingas aforesaid the parts 5 claims. (014285-173) of which can be connectedtogether and disconnected easily and quickly without the use of wrenchesor other extraneous tools such as are requiredby many presently knownhose couplings.

A further'and most important object of `my invention isto provideanimproved hose coupling as above set forth whichis entirely safe-to usewith all sorts of known tools and under a great variety of conditions ofuse.

IStill another object of my present invention is to provide an improvedlocking member for hose couplings of the type `set Vforth which willposi tively retain the plug and socket members in connected relationonce the locking` device is set in locking,` position. i l

' Astill-further object `of my invention is to provide an improved plugmember for hose couplings of the type set forth which is readilyinterchangeable-with, and therefore a ready replacement for, existingplug `members of conventional form.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide an improved hosecoupling as aforesaid which will require less attention and maintenancethan corresponding couplings heretofore in use.

i Itis also an object ofmy invention to provide an improved hosecoupling as aforesaid which is simple in construction, `easy to apply,readily suitable to a variety of sizesand types, facileto manup factureand assemble, and highly eicient in use.

VIn accordance with myinvention, use may be made of more or lessconventional parts at the mating ends of the plug and, socket members.In' ,the conventional Bowes type coupling, `the spring which actuatesthe locking sleeve on the lation with the socket member` when the plug YVmember is `suitably mated therewith.

However, `by simply turning the auxiliary locking sleeve up against theprimary locking sleeve thereafter, the parts become locked together in apositive mam nergand it is impossible for the plug and socket membersYtocbecome disconnected until the auxiliary locking sleeve is backedaway from the primary locking sleeve a distance suiiicient to permit theprimary locking sleeve to be with drawn from the socket member.Thereafter, of course, the plug and socket members can be rotatedthrough the required angle to effect separation of their mating parts.

The novel features of my invention, as Well as Figure 3 is an end viewthereof as seen from the left of Figure 1, or viewed in the direction ofthe arrow appended to the latter gure,

Figure 4 is an end view of the socket or female member as seenA from theend thereofA which mates `with the plug member,

Figure 5 is an endview of the plugyormale member as seen from the endthereof which mates with the socket member, andl Figure 6 is anexploded, perspective view of the coupling shown 'in Figure 1 Referring`more particularlyl to 'the drawing, there is shown a tubular, femaleA or'socket coupling member A with which is adapted to mate ay tubular maleor plugcoupling member B. The female mem-bern has a shank p ortion'i forinsertion into one end of one hose section and an enlarged head 3. Thehead 3 is formed, at the end remote from the shank Iv, with a pair ofinwardly directed, diametrically oppositely disposed, segmental flanges5 behind which is an annular flange l. The flange l is spaced from thesegmental flanges 5 to provide recesses 9 for a purpose presentlyto beset forth. Behind the flange 'l is a seat or pocket for a suitablegasket or washer I3 which `serves to provide a fluid tight connectionbetween the male and female members as will be pointed out moreparticularly hereinafter. Between the segmental flanges 5, the head 3 isrecessed to provide a pair of diametrioally oppositely located seats I5.The male member B has a tubular stem adapted to be inserted into the`head 3 of the female or socket member A and to be gripped by the gasketI3, as shown in Figure 2. This provides a fluid-tight coupling betweenthe male and female members B1 and A. To retain this coupling, thestem is provided with a pair of outwardly extending, diametricallyopposite, f

segmental flanges |9 forr mating relationship with the flanges 5. Byinserting the stem l1 into the socket 3 until the flanges IS engage theannular flange 'l and then turning theY members .A and B relative -toeach other 90 in either direction, the flanges I9 will be entered'l intothe recesses 9 'behind `the flanges 5 and the members A and B cannotthereafter be separated until they are rotated an additional 96 to yfreethe flanges 5 and i9 from each other.

To lock the flanges 5 and I9 in mated relationship, a primary lockingsleeve 2| is slidably mounted on the male or plug member B. 'Ihe sleeve2| is formed with a pair of forwardly extending, diametrically opposedprojections 23 between which are seats or recesses 25, an'inner shoulder21 adapted .to abut against an outwardly extending, annular flange 29 onthe stem for limiting forward movement of the sleeve 2| on the malemember B, a portion of relav member B, its open end will eventuallyengagey tively large external diameter 3| terminating in a shoulder 33,and a portion of relatively small external diameter 35 beyond theshoulder 33. When the primary locking sleeve 2| is moved forwardly alongthe male member B after the flanges 5 and I9 have been brought intomating relationship as above described, its shoulder 2`| eventuallyengages the annular flange 29, at whichr time the projectionsy 23 O fthe Sleeve 2| will have fully entered the seats I5 in the head 3 ofthevfemale memberA and the segmental flanges 5 of the head 3 will havebeen fully received in the recesses or seats 25. The primary sleeve 2|is formed with a depressed lip or projeetion 31 which is received in alongitudinally extending channel or groove 39 in the male member toprevent the primary locking sleeve 2| from turning on the member B.Thus, when the segmental flanges 5 and I9 are brought into matingrelationship and the primary locking sleeveis. advanced along thevmember BY to seat its projections 23 in the seats i5, it is appar.- entthat the members A and B, will be prevented from turning relative toeach other to cause disengagement. 0f the flanges 5 and i9. f It is nowonly necessary to vlock the primary locking sleeve 2| in its advancedposition on the male member Bv as above described. i

For this purpose, I have providedan auxiliary locking sleeve. 4| on themale member B. The sleevedl is of cup-like form, as best seen in Figure2, and is threaded onto a relatively large diameter, threaded section 43of the member B.. Within the auxiliary sleeve 4| is a coiled spring 45around the threaded section 43. The spring 45 bears at one end againstthe threaded, base end 41 of the sleeve 4I and at its other Aend againstthe proximate end of the small diameter portionl 35 of .the sleeve 2|.Thus, when the auxiliary sleeve 4| is turned up. somewhat on the malemember B, the spring 45 becomes compressed and forces the primarylocking sleeve forwardly to position its' projections 23 in the seats|5.. Thereafter, when the auxiliary locking sleeve 4.1 is further turnedup along the male the shoulder 33 to positively lock the primary lockingsleeve against the head 3 with its projections 23 seated in the seats l5and the segmental flanges 5 seated in the seats 2,5. In this way, thedanger of the primary locking sleeve 2| backing avvayffrom the head 3 isentirely eliminated. In fact, not untilv the auxiliary locking sleeve 4|is backed away from the pri# mary locking sleeve 21a distance suillcientto permit removal of the projections 23 from the seats I5 can the maleand female coupling members be rotated to bring their respective flangesI9 and 5 out of mating relationship for separation of the two couplingmembers.

The male coupling member B is also formed with a threaded section 49 ofsmaller diameter than the section 43 for reception of a tubular shank'5| similar tol the shank and adapted to be received in one .end of ahose section which is kto be connected to the hose section in which theshank is received. Any suitable hose may be employed, ofr course, andthe respective hose sections may be secured to the Shanks and 5| in anysuitable manner.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe lart that I have pro- -vlded an improved hose coupling the parts ofwhich ,can be 'connected and positively locked together to insurecomplete safety in operation and handling. Although I have described myimproved coupling particularly with reference to a hose coupling, itwill be obvious that is is equally adaptable to many other applicationswhere mechanical couplings are required, as in pipe couplings, rodcouplings, flexible shaft couplings, etc. Also, while I have shown anddescribed but a single embodiment of my invention, it should be apparentthat many variations thereof are possible within the spirit of myinvention. Therefore, I desire that the foregoing description shall betaken merely as illustrative and not as limiting.

I claim as my invention:

1.` A mechanical coupling device comprising male and female membersprovided with parts adaptedto be brought into mating relationship forconnecting said members together upon assembly and rotation of saidmembers relative to each other, said female member being provided with aseat at one end thereof, means comprising a first sleeve slidablycarried by said male member and having a projection adapted to bereceived in said seat for preventing said members from rotating relativeto each other to a position Where said parts are out of matingrelationship to thereby maintain said parts in mating relationship, alocking element comprising a cup-like sleeve threadedly carried by saidmale member and longitudinally adjustable on said male member, saidlocking element being adapted to be moved up against said first sleevewhen its said projection is in said seat to thereby hold said projectionin said seat and thereby positively lock said members in connectedrelationship, and a coil spring within said cup-like sleeve around saidmale member, said spring being adapted, when said cup-like sleeve isturned up suiciently toward said first sleeve, to engage said firstsleeve and force said first sleeve into position where its saidprojection will enter said seat.

2. A mechanical coupling according to claim 1, characterized in thatsaid first sleeve is Drovided with a shoulder. and characterized furtherin that said cup-like sleeve is adapted to be turned up on said malemember a distance sufcient to engage said shoulder when said projectionis in said seat to thereby prevent said first named sleeve from backingaway from said female member.

3. A hose coupling comprising male and female members, said femalemember having a pair of inwardly directed, diametrically oppositelydisposed segmental flanges at one end thereof, the spaces between saidflanges constituting a pair of diametrically oppositely located seats,said male member having a pair of outwardly extending diametricallyopposite segmental flanges `6 adapted to engage behind said flrst namedflanges when said male member is inserted into said female member apredetermined distance and said members are rotated relative to eachother through a predetermined angle to thereby bring said flanges intomating relationship for connecting said members together, a firstlocking sleeve slidably carried by said male member and having a pair ofdiametrically opposed projections adapted to be received in said seatsto prevent relative rotation of said members to a position Where saidflanges are withdrawn from said mating relationship, a second sleevethreaded on said male member adapted to be turned up against said firstsleeve to lock it in position with its said projections in said seatsthereby to positively lock said members in connected relationship, saidsecond sleeve being cuplike in form, and a coil spring within saidcuplike sleeve aroundsaid male member, said spring being adapted, whensaid cup-like sleeve is turned up along said male member sufcientlytoward said first locking sleeve, to engage said first locking sleeveand force said first looking sleeve into position where its saidprojections will enter said seats.

4. A hose coupling according to claim 3 char` male member to preventwithdrawal of said first locking sleeve projections from said seats.

5. A hose coupling according to claim l characterized further in thatwhen said cup-like sleeve is turned up along said male membersufficiently toward said rst locking sleeve, said coil spring engagesthe proximate endof said small diameter portion and forces said first`locking sleeve into position. where its said projections will enter saidseats, and said cup-like sleeve, upon being further turned upsufiiciently along said male member, engaging said shoulder to lock saidfirst locking sleeve in said position.

HERBERT A. MAIMAN. j

REFERENCES CITED .The following references are of recordin the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 62,221 Phillipi Feb. 19, 1867199,312 Perkins Jan. 15, 1878 1,093,528 Bowes Apr. 214, 1914 1,341,135 iKennedy May .25, 1920

